# How to get a certified copy of a judgment or court order in India

**TL;DR:** A certified copy is the court's own stamped and signed version of a judgment or order, and it is the only version you can file in an appeal or produce as evidence. The free PDF you download from eCourts is fine for reading and research, but it is not admissible. You apply for a certified copy at the copying section of the court that passed the order, pay a small court fee, and choose between an ordinary or an urgent copy. The date on the certified copy matters a lot: under Section 12 of the Limitation Act 1963, the time you spent waiting for the copy is excluded when the court counts your appeal deadline, so apply early and keep the application receipt.

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## On this page

- [What a certified copy actually is](#what-a-certified-copy-actually-is)
- [Why the certified copy decides your appeal deadline](#why-the-certified-copy-decides-your-appeal-deadline)
- [Section 12 of the Limitation Act, explained plainly](#section-12-of-the-limitation-act-explained-plainly)
- [What to do the moment a judgment is pronounced](#what-to-do-the-moment-a-judgment-is-pronounced)
- [Step by step at the District Court](#step-by-step-at-the-district-court)
- [Step by step at the High Court](#step-by-step-at-the-high-court)
- [Step by step at the Supreme Court](#step-by-step-at-the-supreme-court)
- [Applying online through eCourts and the SCI portal](#applying-online-through-ecourts-and-the-sci-portal)
- [Urgent copies, ordinary copies, and what they cost](#urgent-copies-ordinary-copies-and-what-they-cost)
- [Certified copy vs ordinary copy vs free copy](#certified-copy-vs-ordinary-copy-vs-free-copy)
- [Common problems and how to fix them](#common-problems-and-how-to-fix-them)
- [How Niyam helps](#how-niyam-helps)
- [Frequently asked questions](#frequently-asked-questions)
- [Key takeaways](#key-takeaways)

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## What a certified copy actually is

A certified copy is a copy of a court record that the court itself vouches for. The copying section of the court prepares it, an official compares it against the original record, and it carries a stamp, a date, and the signature of the authorised officer of the registry. That endorsement is the whole point. It tells any other court, any government office, or any third party that this document is a true and faithful reproduction of what is on the court file.

You can ask for a certified copy of almost anything on the record. The most common request is a judgment or a final order, but you can also apply for an interim order, a decree, a deposition, the memorandum of evidence, an exhibit, or any document filed in the proceeding. The [District Courts of India copying rules](https://districts.ecourts.gov.in/format-application-certified-copies) make this clear: a party to a proceeding may, on payment of the prescribed court fee, obtain a certified copy of any judgment, order, deposition, memorandum of evidence, or document filed in that proceeding.

Who can apply matters too. You do not have to be a lawyer. As the [Maharashtra civil court rules on copies](https://court.mah.nic.in/courtweb/civil/html/chapter29.html) put it, an application may be made by the party, by a recognised agent of the party, or by the pleader or advocate, and it may even be sent by post. So a litigant can walk in and apply directly. In practice most people send their advocate or clerk, because the copying section has its own rhythm and the regulars know it.

The reason the certified copy exists at all is reliability. A court will not act on a photocopy that anyone could have edited. It needs a version it can trust on its face. The certified copy is that version. Once you understand that, the rest of the process makes sense: every rule about fees, stamps, and signatures exists to protect the integrity of that endorsement.

It also helps to know where the certified copy sits in the life of a case. A judgment is pronounced first. From the judgment, the court draws up a decree or formal order, which is the enforceable expression of the decision. There is often a gap between the two. You can apply for a certified copy of the judgment, the decree, or both, and which one you need depends on what you are doing with it. For an appeal you usually need the certified copy of the order or decree appealed from, and often the judgment as well, which is why Section 12 speaks of excluding the time for obtaining a copy of both. If you are unsure which document you need, the copying section can tell you, and so can your advocate. The safe default when an appeal is in view is to apply for the certified copy of everything the appellate court will expect to see attached.

## Why the certified copy decides your appeal deadline

Here is the part that trips up litigants who try to handle an appeal on their own. The clock for filing an appeal does not simply run from the day the judgment was pronounced in open court. It runs in a way that gives you credit for the time you genuinely spent obtaining the certified copy. Get that wrong and you can lose the right to appeal a perfectly winnable case purely on a technicality.

Think about why this rule has to exist. You cannot file an appeal without attaching a certified copy of the order you are challenging. So if the law counted your deadline from the date of pronouncement and ignored the weeks the copying section took to hand you the copy, the deadline could quietly expire while you were still waiting in a queue you did not control. The Limitation Act fixes this by excluding the time reasonably required to get the copy.

The practical effect is large. An ordinary appeal to a higher court might carry a limitation period of, say, 30, 60, or 90 days depending on the forum and the type of order. If the copying section took 12 working days to give you the certified copy, those days do not eat into your appeal window, provided you applied properly and did not sit on it. This is why the date stamped on your certified copy and the date on your application receipt are both worth protecting like cash.

There is a hard edge to this, and it is the most expensive mistake people make. The exclusion only helps you if you actually applied for the copy. If you wait, do nothing, and then turn up late blaming the registry, you get no relief. As one analysis of the law put it, [the benefit under the Limitation Act is available only on an application for a certified copy](https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=a4387704-492f-49c2-862f-6b86b5cd8b4c), and exemption from filing a certified copy cannot be claimed as a matter of right. The lesson is simple. Apply on day one, even before you have decided whether to appeal.

## Section 12 of the Limitation Act, explained plainly

[Section 12 of the Limitation Act 1963](https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1267250/) is short, but it carries enormous weight in everyday litigation. It deals with what the statute calls "exclusion of time", and it applies when you compute the limitation period for an appeal, an application for leave to appeal, a revision, or a review.

In plain language, Section 12 tells the court to leave out two kinds of days when it counts your deadline. First, leave out the day on which the judgment was pronounced. Second, leave out the time requisite for obtaining a copy of the decree, sentence, or order you are challenging. Where you are appealing from a decree or order, the time needed to obtain a copy of the judgment is also excluded. The full text is laid out on [IndiaCode's copy of the Limitation Act 1963](https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1565/5/A1963-36.pdf) if you want to read the section as enacted.

Two phrases do all the heavy lifting, and both are worth pausing on.

"Time requisite" does not mean any time at all. It means the time reasonably required to obtain the copy. If the delay was caused by the registry's normal processing, that time is excluded. If the delay was caused by you, by sitting on the application or by failing to pay the fee, that time is not excluded. Courts read this strictly, and the line between the two is exactly where appeals are won or lost on limitation.

The second key idea is the endorsement on the certified copy. A properly prepared certified copy carries an endorsement showing the date you applied, the date the copy was ready, and the date you took delivery. The Supreme Court has held that courts are obliged to compute limitation on the basis of [the endorsement contained in the certified copy](https://sclaw.in/2020/04/01/limitation-act-1963-section-122-limitation-computation-of-exclusion-of-time-for-required-obtaining-certified-copy-courts-are-obliged-to-compute-limitation-o/). In other words, that endorsement is your proof. If there is any genuine suspicion of improper practice in how a copy was supplied, the remedy lies in an inquiry into the staff concerned, not in second-guessing the endorsement after the fact. This is why you must keep the certified copy with its endorsement intact, and why you should never throw away the application receipt.

There is a common misunderstanding worth clearing up. Section 12 does not give you extra time to make up your mind about appealing. It gives you credit only for the days the registry genuinely needed to prepare the copy after you applied. So if you delay the application by two weeks while you think it over, those two weeks are gone, and no provision rescues them. The exclusion is mechanical and tied to the copying process, not to your decision-making. This is why the advice to apply on day one is not just tidy housekeeping. It is the difference between an appeal that is in time and one that is barred.

It also helps to picture how a judge applies the section in practice. When your appeal comes up and the other side argues it is late, the judge looks at three dates on the certified-copy endorsement: when you applied, when the copy was ready, and when you collected it. The judge subtracts the genuine copying time from the elapsed days and checks whether what remains is within the statutory period. If it is, the appeal is in time. That is the entire mechanism, and it is why the endorsement is sacred.

For the deeper history of the section, including how courts have read "time requisite" in cases stretching back decades, this [explainer on exclusion of time under Section 12](https://www.legalbites.in/law-of-limitation/exclusion-of-time-section-12-the-limitation-act-1963-988189) is a useful starting point.

## What to do the moment a judgment is pronounced

The most useful habit a litigant can build is to treat the day of pronouncement as the day to act, not the day to celebrate or sulk. The judgment is read out, or uploaded, and the clock starts. Here is the short checklist that saves people from limitation disasters.

First, note the exact date, case number, and court. You will need all three to apply for the copy, and a wrong digit anywhere costs days. Pull up the case on the eCourts case status page that evening and confirm the order date matches what you heard in court, because the operative order is sometimes dated a day or two after the hearing.

Second, download the free PDF straight away. This is your reading copy. Use it to understand what was actually decided, what directions were issued, and whether there is anything worth challenging. You do not need to wait for the certified copy to start thinking about an appeal. The free copy is enough to brief your advocate and form a view.

Third, apply for the certified copy within the same week, regardless of whether you have decided to appeal. This is the single most important move. Applying early starts the Section 12 exclusion clock and protects your limitation period if you later decide to challenge the order. If you choose not to appeal, you have lost only a few rupees. If you do appeal, you have saved your case. There is no downside to applying early and a large downside to waiting.

Fourth, decide ordinary or urgent based on the deadline. If the appeal window is comfortable, ordinary is fine. If it is tight, pay for urgent. Do not gamble on the registry being fast.

Fifth, keep every receipt and the endorsement on the copy. These are your evidence that you applied on a particular date and that the registry took a particular number of days. If a limitation argument ever arises, this paperwork is what wins it.

That five-point routine takes one visit or one online session, and it removes almost every way an appeal can die on a technicality. Litigants who skip it are the ones who later discover that a strong case is barred because nobody applied for the copy in time.

## Step by step at the District Court

The District Court is where most certified copies are issued, because it is where most cases live. The copying section, sometimes called the copying agency, is usually a dedicated counter or room inside the court complex. Here is the practical sequence.

| Step | What you do | What to carry |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Identify the record | Note the case type, case number, year, party names, and the exact date of the order or judgment you want | Your case papers or cause-list slip |
| 2. Get the form | Collect the copying application form from the copying section, or use the online portal where available | A pen and your case details |
| 3. Fill in details | Enter the case number, parties, date of the order, and the document type (judgment, order, or decree) | Correct case number |
| 4. Affix court fee | Stick the prescribed court-fee stamp or pay the prescribed fee as the counter directs | Court-fee stamps or cash for the fee |
| 5. Choose copy type | Mark the application as ordinary or urgent depending on how fast you need it | Extra fee if you choose urgent |
| 6. Submit and get receipt | Hand in the application and collect the dated application number or receipt | Keep this safe, it is your proof |
| 7. Track and collect | Track the status and return to collect the certified copy when ready | The receipt or application number |

A few practical notes make this smoother. Write the case number correctly the first time, because a wrong number sends your application to the wrong file and wastes days. The format of the application form is standardised, and you can preview it on the [District Courts format for certified copy applications](https://districts.ecourts.gov.in/format-application-certified-copies) before you reach the counter.

How long does it take? For an ordinary copy at a District Court, expect roughly three to seven working days in a court that is running normally, as a [practical guide for advocates on obtaining certified copies](https://jurigram.com/advocates/resources/practice-management/how-to-get-certified-copy-judgement-india) notes. In a busy or backlogged court it can stretch further. The honest picture from the ground is that delays happen, and they happen often. One account of the system observes that it can take [anywhere from 15 to 45 days to receive a copy](https://rtiwala.com/content/how-to-obtain-certified-copies-of-court-documents/) depending on the backlog of that particular court, which is precisely why the urgent option exists and why Section 12 protects you.

## Step by step at the High Court

The High Court process follows the same logic as the District Court, but the registry is larger and the rules are more formal. Each High Court has its own copying chapter in its rules. The [Delhi High Court rules on preparation and supply of copies](https://delhihighcourt.nic.in/files/2024-04/courtrulefile_pue0w9a6.pdf) are a good reference for how a major High Court structures this.

The steps look like this.

| Step | At the High Court |
| --- | --- |
| 1. Locate the document | You need the case type, case number, year, and party name to pinpoint the exact record |
| 2. Check the stamp value | Visit the copying section and confirm how much judicial stamp or court fee is required, since this varies by court |
| 3. File the application | Submit the copying application with the required fee, in person, through your advocate, or where allowed, online |
| 4. Mark urgency if needed | Tick the urgent box or attach the urgent slip for faster processing at a higher fee |
| 5. Collect | Collect the certified copy with its endorsement, or receive it by post or email where the court offers that |

The most important difference at the High Court is precision in identifying the record. With thousands of matters, a small error in the case number or year can stall the request. A community explainer on [obtaining certified copies from the High Court](https://www.quora.com/How-can-one-obtain-certified-copies-from-the-High-Court-What-is-the-process-for-obtaining-one-copy-and-how-much-does-it-cost) makes the same point: you need the case details exact, and you should check the required stamp value at the copying section before you file.

Many High Courts now run online certified copy portals, which removes a trip to the counter. The High Courts of [Orissa](https://www.orissahighcourt.nic.in/onlinecertifiedcopy/), [Jharkhand](https://jharkhandhighcourt.nic.in/occ/), and [Kerala](http://keralajudiciary.gov.in/klcourts/cconline/) all offer online copy applications, and several others have followed. If your High Court has one, use it, because it timestamps your application automatically and gives you a clean digital record of when you applied.

## Step by step at the Supreme Court

At the Supreme Court of India, the certified copy process is run by the registry's copying branch, and it is now substantially online. The [Supreme Court copying page](https://main.sci.gov.in/copying) is the official starting point, and the registry's [e-Copying portal](https://registry.sci.gov.in/api/callback/bharat_kosh/online_copying/index.php) lets you apply without visiting Delhi.

The flow is straightforward.

| Step | At the Supreme Court |
| --- | --- |
| 1. Find the case | Identify the diary or case number and the date of the judgment or order |
| 2. Apply online or in person | Use the e-Copying portal, or apply at the copying counter |
| 3. Choose delivery | Choose a soft copy by email, a hard copy collected at the counter, or a hard copy by speed post |
| 4. Pay the fee | Pay the prescribed fee through the portal or at the counter |
| 5. Track via SMS | Track the status of your request, with updates sent by SMS |

Two features are worth knowing. Soft copies are sent to your registered email address, while hard copies can be collected in person or delivered by speed post, as the registry's [e-Copying public manual](https://registry.sci.gov.in/api/callback/bharat_kosh/eCopyingPublic_manual.pdf) sets out. And in a welcome concession, the first copy of a bail order can be obtained free of cost, which helps an accused or their family act fast on a release.

The Certified Copy Module that powers much of this is part of a wider digitisation effort by the eCommittee of the Supreme Court. As the [eCommittee's Certified Copy Module page](https://ecommitteesci.gov.in/division/certified-copy-module/) explains, the module lets stakeholders apply for certified hard copies of judgments and orders and track the status of the request through SMS, and the same backbone is being rolled out across courts.

## Applying online through eCourts and the SCI portal

Online certified copies are the single biggest improvement of the last few years. Instead of standing in a queue, you can apply from your phone, pay online, and get the copy by post or email. But you need to understand exactly what each portal gives you, because the words "judgment download" and "certified copy" are not the same thing.

The [eCourts services portal](https://services.ecourts.gov.in/) is the national gateway for District and subordinate courts. You can search a case, see its status, and download orders and judgments as PDFs at no cost. For certified copies specifically, many states route you to an online certified copy module that is integrated with the court's copying section. Always look for the words "certified copy" or "e-copy", not just "view order", because only the former gives you the stamped document.

For the Supreme Court, the [SCI judgments portal](https://main.sci.gov.in/judgments) lets you search judgments by petitioner, respondent, judge, case number, free text, the Act involved, and the date. These are free reading copies. When you need the stamped version, you switch to the e-Copying portal described above.

There is also a powerful free resource for Supreme Court judgments that many people miss: [Digital SCR, the digitised Supreme Court Reports](https://digiscr.sci.gov.in/). This carries authoritative, reportable judgments with neutral citations, free to read and download. It is excellent for research and citation, and we cover how to use neutral citations in our guide to [e-SCR and neutral citations](/blog/e-scr-neutral-citations). When you do cite a judgment in a filing, follow proper form, which we set out in [how to cite Indian judgments](/blog/how-to-cite-indian-judgments). But again, a download from Digital SCR is a reading copy, not a certified copy. If you are reading the judgment to understand it, see our companion guide on [how to read a judgment](/blog/how-to-read-a-judgment).

To check the status of any case before you apply, or to confirm the exact date and number of the order you want, use the eCourts and NJDG tools, which we walk through in [how to check case status on eCourts and NJDG](/blog/check-case-status-ecourts-njdg). Getting the case details right before you apply saves the most common cause of delay.

## Urgent copies, ordinary copies, and what they cost

Every copying section offers at least two speeds: ordinary and urgent. The difference is processing time and fee.

An ordinary copy is the default. You pay the basic per-page fee, your application joins the normal queue, and the copy is ready in a few working days. An urgent copy jumps the queue. You pay a higher per-page fee, you tick the urgent box or attach an urgent slip, and the registry prepares the copy on a fast timeline.

The fees are modest and vary by court, so treat the numbers below as typical figures rather than fixed national rates. As a [practical guide for advocates](https://jurigram.com/advocates/resources/practice-management/how-to-get-certified-copy-judgement-india) records, copying fees commonly run from about two to ten rupees per page, plus search charges if the file is old, with ordinary copies often charged around four rupees per page and urgent copies around seven rupees per page. The exact rate is set by each court, and many copying agencies publish a [rate-of-fee chart for copies](https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3ec02504c296f8eb5fd521e744da4e837/uploads/2026/01/2026012384.pdf) you can check before applying.

How fast is urgent? An account of the urgent route describes attaching a bright red "urgent" slip or ticking the urgent box, paying a significantly higher court-fee stamp, and the registry being expected to prepare the copy [within roughly 24 to 72 working hours](https://rtiwala.com/content/how-to-obtain-certified-copies-of-court-documents/). When an appeal deadline is breathing down your neck, that speed is worth every extra rupee.

A word on the human reality of speed. Because the system can be slow, an entire informal trade has grown up around it. The same account notes that there are [specialised agents in court whose only job is to take out certified copies](https://rtiwala.com/content/how-to-obtain-certified-copies-of-court-documents/), precisely because the overburdened registry may not hand a litigant the copy the same day. You do not need such an agent if you apply early and use the urgent option, but it explains why so many litigants feel the process is harder than it should be.

Here is the simple decision rule. If you have plenty of time before any deadline, an ordinary copy is fine and cheaper. If an appeal or filing deadline is close, pay for urgent and keep the receipt. The few extra rupees are nothing against the cost of missing a limitation period.

## Certified copy vs ordinary copy vs free copy

This is the distinction that causes the most confusion, so let us be precise. There are really three things people loosely call "a copy".

| Type | What it is | Cost | Can you file it in court? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free copy (information copy) | The PDF you download from eCourts or the SCI portal | Free | No, it is not admissible as evidence |
| Ordinary certified copy | A certified copy applied for at the copying section, normal speed | Small per-page fee | Yes |
| Urgent certified copy | The same certified copy, fast-tracked | Higher per-page fee | Yes |

The crucial line runs between the free download and the certified copy. A free download from eCourts is authentic and reliable for reading, research, briefing a client, or quoting in an opinion. But it cannot be used as evidence in a court submission. The eCourts site itself flags that the information it provides is not meant for legal evidence. A clear explainer on [downloading court orders and judgments online](https://blogs.ecourtsindia.com/2026/04/16/download-court-orders-judgements-online-india/) puts the test well: if the order is going to be read, cited, or shared, the downloaded PDF is perfect, but if it is going to be filed or produced as proof, you must apply for a certified copy.

The reason is admissibility. Certified copies of judgments and orders are legally admissible in other courts, while free downloads are not. So the practical rule is easy to remember. Reading, research, citation: free copy. Appeal, evidence, filing in another case, producing before a government office: certified copy.

Within the certified-copy category, the choice between ordinary and urgent is only about speed and cost, not about legal weight. An ordinary certified copy and an urgent certified copy are equally valid in court. You pay more for urgent only to get it faster.

One more nuance is worth flagging, because it surfaces in higher-stakes matters. Courts have, in recent years, looked closely at what exactly counts as a "certified copy" for the purpose of filing, especially where parties tried to rely on downloaded or computer-generated copies instead of the registry's stamped version. The settled position, summarised in analyses such as this note on [how the Supreme Court has read the law on certified copies for filing](https://www.cyrilshroff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Client-Alert-Supreme-Court-settles-the-law-on-Certified-copies-3010.pdf), is that the certified copy issued by the court is what matters, and that exemption from producing it is not something a party can demand as of right. The practical takeaway for a litigant is unchanged: when in doubt, get the real certified copy from the copying section rather than hoping a download will be accepted.

## Common problems and how to fix them

Even a simple application can go sideways. Here are the problems litigants run into most often, and how to handle each one.

**The copy is taking too long and my appeal deadline is near.** First, do not panic about the deadline itself, because Section 12 excludes the time the registry takes once you have applied. But protect yourself: apply urgent, keep the dated receipt, and if needed, mention in your appeal that the certified copy was applied for on a specific date. The endorsement on the copy and your receipt are your evidence.

**I never applied, the deadline passed, and now I want to blame the registry.** This is the trap. The exclusion under Section 12 only runs from the date you applied. If you took no steps to obtain the copy, the delay will not be condoned, as the [analysis of the Limitation Act benefit](https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=a4387704-492f-49c2-862f-6b86b5cd8b4c) confirms. The fix is preventive: apply for the certified copy the same week the order is passed.

**The case number or details on my application are wrong.** A wrong case number routes your request to the wrong file. Double-check the case type, number, and year against your cause-list slip or the eCourts case status page before you submit.

**I downloaded the PDF and tried to file it, and it was rejected.** That PDF is a free copy, not a certified copy. Go back to the copying section and apply for the certified version. There is no shortcut here.

**The file is old and the copy is delayed.** Old records attract search charges and take longer to retrieve. Budget extra time and extra fee, and ask the counter whether the record has been digitised, which speeds things up.

**I am abroad and cannot visit the court.** Use the online certified copy portals where available, and choose speed-post delivery. Several High Courts and the Supreme Court support remote applications, and a [note on obtaining certified copies from abroad](https://sheokandlegal.com/articles/how-to-get-certified-copies-of-indian-court-orders-while-living-abroad/) walks through the options, often with help from a local advocate to collect and courier the copy.

**The copy I received has a page missing or an error.** Compare the certified copy against your free download as soon as you collect it. If a page is missing or a line looks wrong, raise it with the copying section at once rather than after you have filed. A flawed copy filed in appeal can invite an objection from the other side, and fixing it later wastes the very time Section 12 was meant to protect.

**I need certified copies of several documents from the same case.** Apply for them together on one visit, listing each document and date clearly. Bundling the requests is faster than returning to the counter for each one, and it gives you a single tracking reference to follow.

The thread running through all of these is the same. Apply early, apply correctly, and keep every receipt. The system rewards the litigant who moves first.

If you remember nothing else, remember the order of operations. Read the free copy to understand the order. Apply for the certified copy in the same week. Choose urgent if a deadline is close. Keep the receipt and the endorsement. That sequence turns a process that frightens self-represented litigants into a short, predictable errand, and it keeps your right of appeal alive while you decide what to do.

## How Niyam helps

Niyam is built for exactly the moment after a judgment is passed, when you need to read it carefully, understand what it decided, and figure out your next step before any deadline runs. We do not issue certified copies, only the court can do that, but we make everything around the copy faster and clearer.

Paste or upload the judgment and Niyam gives you a clean summary of what was held, the issues decided, and the operative directions, so you can decide whether an appeal is worth pursuing while there is still time to apply for the certified copy. You can ask plain questions about the order, check the citations it relies on against authoritative sources, and avoid the fabricated-citation problem that plagues general AI tools. For research, Niyam pulls in reportable judgments with neutral citations so you are working from sources a court will accept.

You can start for ₹100. Create an account at [app.niyam.ai/register](https://app.niyam.ai/register) and bring your most recent order. Read it, understand it, and act on it before the limitation clock runs out.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is a certified copy compulsory to file an appeal?**
In practice, yes. You normally have to attach a certified copy of the order you are challenging when you file an appeal, revision, or review. Exemption from filing it is not a right, and the time you spent obtaining the copy is excluded from limitation only because you applied for it.

**Does the appeal deadline run from the date of judgment or the date of the certified copy?**
Neither exactly. Under Section 12 of the Limitation Act 1963, the court excludes the day the judgment was pronounced and the time reasonably required to obtain the copy, provided you applied for the copy. So your effective window is the statutory period plus the genuine copying time.

**Can I use the free PDF from eCourts in court?**
No. The free download is an information copy, reliable for reading and research but not admissible as evidence. For filing or producing the order as proof, apply for a certified copy at the copying section.

**How much does a certified copy cost?**
Fees vary by court and are modest, commonly a few rupees per page, with urgent copies charged at a higher rate and old files attracting search charges. Check the rate chart at your court's copying section before applying.

**How long does a certified copy take?**
An ordinary copy at a District Court often takes around three to seven working days when the court is running normally, but it can take longer in a busy registry. Urgent copies are usually prepared within about one to three working days at a higher fee.

**Can I apply for a certified copy online?**
Yes, in many courts. The Supreme Court runs an e-Copying portal, and several High Courts including Orissa, Jharkhand, and Kerala offer online certified copy applications. District courts route certified-copy requests through state eCourts modules, separate from the free judgment download.

**What is the difference between an ordinary copy and an urgent copy?**
They are the same certified document with the same legal weight. The only difference is speed and fee. An urgent copy jumps the queue for a higher charge; an ordinary copy follows the normal timeline and costs less.

## Key takeaways

- A certified copy is the court's own stamped, signed copy, and it is the only version you can file in an appeal or produce as evidence.
- The free PDF from eCourts or the SCI portal is fine for reading, research, and citation, but it is not admissible in court.
- Under Section 12 of the Limitation Act 1963, the day of pronouncement and the time reasonably required to obtain the copy are excluded when counting your appeal deadline, but only if you actually applied for the copy.
- Apply for the certified copy in the same week the order is passed, and keep the dated application receipt and the endorsement on the copy as your proof.
- Choose urgent over ordinary whenever a deadline is near; the extra few rupees are trivial against the cost of missing limitation.
- District Courts, High Courts, and the Supreme Court all have copying sections, and most now offer online application with email or speed-post delivery.